March 12. (THE FAMILY ALTAR - BRIEF DAILY DEVOTIONS Based on Selected Scripture Texts - 1922)

 

And the high priest answered and said unto Him: "I adjure

thee by the living God that Thou tell us whether Thou be the

Christ, the Son of God." Jesus saith unto him: "Thou hast said;

nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of

Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds

of heaven." Matt. 26:63. 64.

 

The captors of Jesus first led Him bound to Annas, the

father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest of that year, who had

been plotting the Savior's death ever since the resurrection of

Lazarus. (John 11,49.50.) Before this biased and cruel judge

our Lord was brought from Annas, where his trial at once took

place. When, however, our Lord remains silent to all the lying

testimony which the hastily collected, false, and suborned witnesses

adduce against Him, Caiaphas springs his trap and solemnly ad-

jures the Lord to tell them whether He is the Christ, the Son

of the living God, or not.

Now, where the honor of His heavenly Father, the truth of His

Gospel, the salvation of the lost sinful world is involved, our

blessed Lord does not hesitate a moment, but at once confesses the

truth, though He knows what terrible sufferings and death await

Him. In His great love He would even save His cruel, unjust judges,

and therefore He warns them against the coming judgment. He came

in judgment on them in the destruction of their city, Jerusalem; He

will come to their final and eternal judgment when He appears in the

clouds of heaven to judge the quick and the dead. Woe unto all, then,

who rejected Him, their only Savior, in blind and obdurate hate

and unbelief!

He that believeth not shall be damned; he excludes

himself from the mercy, the righteousness, the salvation prepared

also for him in Christ Jesus, the sinners' Friend and pardoning

Judge; and so he must suffer the curse, and die in his sins

without mercy through all eternity. "Kiss the Son, lest He be

angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled

but a little. Blessed are all they thaf put their trust in Him."

 

 

Great God, to Thee my spirit clings,

Thy boundless love declaring;

One wondrous sight my comfort brings,

The Judge my nature wearing.

Beneath His cross I view the day

When heaven and earth shall pass away,

And thus prepare to meet Him.